Cylindrical rotating valve mechanism for multiple resonance chambers



1952 R. H. GODDARD 2,580,908

- CYLINDRICAL ROTATING VALVE MECHANISM FOR MUTIPLE RESONANCE CHAMBERSFiled Oct. 2, 1947 Patented Jan. 1, 1952 CLINDRIGAL ROTATING VALVE MECH-ANI'SMI EOR MULTIPLE RESONANCE.

CHAMBERS.

Robert H. Goddard, decease,d,rl at e of Annapolis.

Md., by Esther C. Goddard, executrix, Worcester, Mass, assignor ofone-half to The Daniel and Heretics... Gug dati Kerk. N. 15.. a,corporation of" New York- Application October 2, 194 7,Spria1.No.,.'Z77,4fi8,

This invention relates to air-craft propulsion apparatus inwhich aseries of resonance chambers are arranged in a fix'ed circumferentialseries about the longitudinal axis of a rocket craft.

It isthe general object or this invention to provide a simpleandefiqcient valve mechanism for such a series of chambers, by whichboth the timing and the order offiring is determinedand; 0311 11 6;-

Mo e specifica ly. a. in e cylindrical: rotatin valve m mberisrrovidedsto. control the air a to an, en ire cireumierentiai series.of resonance chambers, each of which chambers has a short radiallydisposed intermediate portion through which said cylindrical valvemember functions.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

Preferred forms of the invention are shown in the drawing, in which Fig.1 is a plan view of an aircraft embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing certain partsappearing in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 inFig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig. 3 but showing modifiedconstructions;

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional side elevation similar to Fig. 2 butshowing additional structure;

Fig. '7 is a plan view of an aircraft embodying a modified arrangementof resonance chambers; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation showing the valve-rotating structure.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, an aircraft I0 is providedwith a plurality of resonance chambers l2 each having an intake pipe I4and a discharge outlet or nozzle portion [5.

Suitable fuel feed and ignition devices are provided for each chamber[2, as shown for instance in prior Goddard Patent No. 2,395,403, issuedFebruary 26, 1946.

These resonance chambers are arranged in a circumferential series withinthe aircraft I0 and the intake pipes M are similarly arranged in acircumferential series about the periphery of the craft l0.

Each resonance chamber l2 and its associated intake pipe I4 areconnected by a short offset intermediate portion or conduit 20, whichpreferably extends inward substantially radially and which is severed topermit passage of a cylindrical valve member 25.

3 Claims. (Cl. 60..'-35.6

The member 25 is preferablyprovidedwith internal edge flanges 26 forincreased rigidityand these flanges maybe supported onspacedanti-friction rollers 28', as shown inFig. 6.

The cylindrical valve member is provided with elongated slots orcircumferentialopenings 30 (Fig. 6) and with intervening closed portions3!. The adjacent severed ends of the intermediate offset; connectingportion 205 are; preferably providedwith laterally extending-flanges 33"and 34- to reduce transverse leakagepast-the valve'member 25':

flanges 33 and 34.

The valve openings 30 and closed portions 3i of the cylindrical valvemember 25 may be variably arranged to produce different desired firingorders.

With the arrangement shown in Fig. 2, two closed portions 3i areprovided which are diametrically opposite and which successively closethe resonance chambers in opposite pairs for firing. 7

With the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, three closed portions 3m areequally spaced about the valve member 25a, so that the chambers arefired in alternate groups of three each.

In the construction shown in Fig. 5, eight resonance chambers I20. andeight intake pipes |4a are provided and the cylindrical valve member 25bhas four closed portions 3lb equally spaced and disposed in oppositepairs. With this construction, the resonance chambers are fired inalternately disposed groups of four chambers each.

In each case, the cylindrical valve member 25, 25a or 25b iscontinuously rotated by a motor M (Fig. 1) or in any other convenientmanner.

As the cylindrical valve members rotate at considerable speed, anobjectionable gyroscopic effect may be produced which would interferewith the steering of the aircraft.

To ofiset such a gyroscopic efiect, the construction shown in Fig. 7 maybe adopted, in which one set of resonance chambers 40 is con trolled bya cylindrical valve member 4| rotating in one direction, and asecond setof resonance chambers 42 is controlled by a second cylindrical valvemember 43 rotating in the opposite direction and preferably at the samespeed. The re; sonance chambers 40 and 42 are provided with intake pipes44 and 45 and operate as previously described.

The details of construction and method of operation of the resonancechambers in themselves form no part of the present invention, it

The cylindrical valve member rotateswith slight clearance withrespecttothese being merely necessary to state that air is admittedbriefly to each chamber for rinsing and fresh charging as a valve port30 crosses the associated connecting portion 20.

For further details of the: construction and operation of such resonancechambers, reference may be made to the prior Goddard Patent No.1,980,266.

Having thus described the invention and the advantages thereof, it willbe understood that the invention is not to be limited to the detailsherein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what isclaimed is:

1. In aircraft propulsion apparatus, a casing enclosing an internalcircumferential series, of fixed resonance chambers parallel to thecasing axis and each having an intake pipe external to said casing andparallel to the casing axis and at a substantially greater radialdistance from said axis than the associatedresonance chamber and havinga short and substantially radially-disposed intermediate connectingconduit, 2. single cylindrical valve member crossing all of saidintermediate conduits and having circumferentially spaced port openingsand intervening closed portions, and means to continuously rotate saidvalve member.

2. The combination in propulsion apparatus as set forth in claim 1, inwhich'the cylindrical valve is provided with internal edge flanges andin which supporting guide-rolls are provided for said flanges.

3. In propulsion apparatus, a plurality of resonance chambers arrangedin two internal fixed circumferential series, each chamber having anexternal intake pipe and a short radially-disposed intermediateconnecting portion, a separate cylindrical valve member crossing all ofthe intermediate connecting portions of each series and each valvemember having spaced port openings and intervening closed portions, andmeans to continuously rotate said valve members at equal speeds but inopposite directions.

ESTHER C. GODDARD.

Ewecutrz'a: of the Last Will and Testament of Robert H. Goddard,Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 978,044 Loftus Dec. 6, 1910FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 409,068 France Feb. 9, 1910 735,857France Sept. 6, 1932 452,297 Great Britain Aug. 20, 1936 387,166 GermanyDec. 21, 1923

